Saturday, November 22, 2008

Copernicus ID'ed



The Kronenberg Foundation in Warsaw has created a computer-generated reconstruction of what astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus may have looked like on the basis of a skull discovered in the cathedral in Frombork, northern Poland.

Polish and Swedish researchers said Thursday they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from a skeleton they have found with that taken from hair retrieved from one of the 16th-century astronomer's books.

Woot!

This is cooler than cool.

This is the kind of stuff that keeps me enthralled with science.

20 comments:

cube said...

James Cromwell, that ultra-idiot liberal who played Zefram Cochrane in ST:First Contact could play him in The Copernicus Story.

Chuck said...

Cool

dmarks said...

Looks like someone found an old Vatican "Wanted" poster and scanned it in.

cube said...

dmarks: lol. That would've saved them a few steps in the forensic analysis.

KG said...

Good stuff!

cube said...

This reminds me of the archeological find referred to as "Kennewick Man". When his skull was reconstructed, he looked like the spitting image of Captain Picard.

Caz said...

Way cool.

It even looks the way I would expect Copernicus to look ... not that I'd ever given it thought before, but now that I see him: yep, looks just like Copernicus!

Rick (Ratty) said...

That is cool. I never imagined what he looked like, but it's really interesting.

cube said...

caz: Hey stranger, looks like you have insider information about Copernicus. As dmarks pointed out, have you been rooting around in the Vatican cellar looking at the "Wanted" posters?

cube said...

ratty: He kind of looks like Isaac Newton.

Anonymous said...

That is really cool.

BTW, I'm looking to add you to my blog roll if you're willing to add me in return. Let me know.

MathewK said...

Yeah, cool stuff there cube.

dmarks said...

So one reconstructed dead guy looks like Captain Picard, and another looks like Zefram Cochrane. I do think that the Federation has been playing time-travel games again....

cube said...

christopher hamilton: I don't have a blogroll at the moment, but if I ever get one, I'll gladly add you.

MK: Glad you liked it.

dmarks: heh heh. Apparently temporal mechanics makes the world go round.

dmarks said...

Christopher Hamilton: You don't even show as having a profile, let alone a blog.

David Amulet said...

That's what Ted Danson will look like in 15 years.

Leslie Johnson said...

Just what I thought: A pedophile.

birdwoman said...

Why do they always look like Wanted posters?

(*)>

cube said...

dmarks: heh heh.

david a.: Not Sam Malone!

leslie j.: Not Sam Malone!

bw: Just a guess, but chances are if they're recontructing your image from a skull, you're not in your happy place anymore.

Precious said...

That's nice information!:))